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Hydra
The Hydra is a many headed monster with a scaly, reptilian body. Its serpentine heads belch out smoky flame, but they can also attack by biting enemies with their sharp teeth, and crushing them in the coils of their necks. Hydras' bodies are low and squat, heavily muscled and covered with thick scales which are as hard as iron. Hydra scales are much sought after to make suits of armour. Few men are foolhardy enough to ride such a creature yet there are tales of Chaos Champions riding Hydras into battle and of Chaos Sorcerers who cast their dark spells from the back of a multi-headed beast. 1st edition The hydra was introduced in Forces of Fantasy, where it cost 225 points as part of the Chaos race. Special rules * It had a 10% chance of having chaotic attributes. * It had 3 different body types, with a different move rate for each. Reptilian and mammalian could move 6", snake could move 3". * Hydras receive 1 attack for each head, and each time a wound is suffered a head is destroyed and the number of attacks drops. * Instead of a head attack, they may claw, causing D3 attacks of Strength 4. If they are reptilian bodied they may also tail lash in the same combat round, causing a further D3 S4 attacks. * Snake bodied hydras have a constriction attack in addition to their head attack, which reduces the victim's Strength by 1 per hit. * Reptilian bodied hydras count as having mail armour, giving a 6+ saving throw. * There is a 30% chance of a reptilian hydra having a gaping maw amongst its heads. In combat it may attempt to grab a model under 6" in addition to its normal attacks, which can be randomised if necessary. Roll to hit as normal, and the model is swallowed unless he can make a saving roll against a S4 attack. * They cause fear in man-sized or smaller units, excluding elves. * They fear fire, unless they breath fire. * They are subject to stupidity and must test each move. * You must roll a D10 to determine breath weapons: 1-3 no breath, 4-5 fire, 6-7 acid, 8-9 poison gas, 10 ice. The effects are the same as dragon breath except only one individual model can be hit with each head. Fire and acid have strength 2, poison gas and ice must save against poison. The hydra's BS is 3 for breath attacks. * There is a 75% chance all heads have the same breath attack and only roll once. Otherwise roll for each head. A single head can either use breath or bite each turn, but cannot use breath against combat opponents. 4th edition Special rules * Terror: The Hydra causes terror as described in the Psychology section of the Warhammer rulebook. Remember that creatures which cause terror automatically cause fear as well. * Breathe fire: The Hydra's heads can breathe fire in the shooting phase, in the same way as a Dragon. Although there are many heads they all breathe together, producing a single sheet of flame. Use the teardrop-shaped flame template to work out hits. Place the template as you wish, with the end lying over the target and the narrow part coming from the front of the Hydra. Any model lying under the template area is hit on a D6 score of 4 or more. Fire hits have a Strength of 4. * Scaly skin: Hydras have an exceptionally tough scaly skin. This acts like armour and gives the Hydra an armour saving throw of 5 or 6 on a D6. As with Dragons, this is not modified by the Strength of the attack, so Hydras will always have the same save. Only if the attack discounts saves altogether is the save ignored. * Bound monster: The Hydra is a ferocious creature that must be bound by magic or years of training before it will fight. The Hydra is subject to the Bound Monster rule - see the Monsters section of the Warhammer rulebook. Category:Monsters